The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)Mather, Cotton
History
The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England
Now, one of the latest Printed Accounts about a _Tryal of Witches_, is
of what was before him, and it ran on this wise. [Printed in the Year
1682.] And it is here the rather mentioned, because it was a Tryal,
much considered by the Judges of _New England_.
_I. Rose Cullender_ and _Amy Duny_, were severally Indicted, for
Bewitching _Elizabeth Durent_, _Ann Durent_, _Jane Bocking_, _Susan
Chandler_, _William Durent_, _Elizabeth_ and _Deborah Pacy_. And the
Evidence whereon they were Convicted, stood upon divers particular
Circumstances.
[56] _II. Ann Durent_, _Susan Chandler_, and _Elizabeth Pacy_, when
they came into the Hall, to give Instructions for the drawing the
Bills of Indictments, they fell into strange and violent Fits, so that
they were unable to give in their Depositions, not only then, but also
during the whole Assizes. _William Durent_ being an Infant, his Mother
Swore, that _Amy Duny_ looking after her Child one Day in her absence,
did at her return confess, that she had _given suck to the Child:_
(tho' she were an Old Woman:) Whereat, when _Durent_ expressed her
displeasure, _Duny_ went away with Discontents and Menaces.
The Night after, the Child fell into strange and sad Fits, wherein it
continued for Divers Weeks. One Doctor _Jacob_ advised her to hang up
the Childs Blanket, in the Chimney Corner all Day, and at Night when
she went to put the Child into it, if she found any Thing in it then to
throw it without fear into the Fire. Accordingly, at Night, there fell
a great Toad out of the Blanket, which ran up and down the Hearth. A
Boy catch't it, and held it in the Fire with the Tongs: where it made
an horrible Noise, and Flash'd like to Gun-Powder, with a report like
that of a Pistol: Whereupon the Toad was no more to be seen. The next
Day a Kinswoman of _Duny's_, told the Deponent, that her Aunt was all
grievously scorch'd with the Fire, and the Deponent going to her House,
found her in such a Condition. _Duny_ told her, she might thank her for
it; but she should live to see some of her Children Dead, and herself
upon Crutches. But after the Burning of the Toad, this Child Recovered.
This Deponent further Testifi'd, That Her Daughter _Elizabeth_, being
about the Age of Ten Years, was taken in like manner, as her first
Child was, and in her Fits complained much of _Amy Duny_, and said,
that she did appear to Her, and afflict her in such a manner as the
former. One Day she found _Amy Duny_ in her House, and thrusting her
out of Doors, _Duny_ said, _You need not be so Angry, your Child won't
live long_. And within three Days the Child died. The Deponent added,
that she was Her self, not long after taken with such a Lameness in
both her Legs, that she was forced to go upon Crutches; and she was
now in Court upon them. [It was Remarkable, that immediately upon the
Juries bringing in _Duny_ Guilty, _Durent_ was restored unto the use of
her Limbs, and went home without her Crutches.]
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